Marvel Comics is removing panels and advertisements for its Netflix series The Punisher from events such as New York’s Comic-Con, following the shooting at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival in Las Vegas Sunday night that left at least 59 people dead and more than 500 injured.
With streaming service Netflix, the comic book giant issued a statement expressing shock and sadness not long after shooter Stephen Paddock committed the largest mass murder in America history, Variety reported.
“We are stunned and saddened by this week’s senseless act in Las Vegas,” the companies said on Wednesday. “After careful consideration, Netflix and Marvel have decided it s to participate in New York Comic Con. Our thoughts continue to be with the victims and those affected by this tragedy.”
Marvel also canceled a Punisher event scheduled for Saturday at the Cirque d’Hiver in France.
As to the event in France, Marvel and Netflix jointly announced that they “decided it wouldn’t be appropriate for Marvel’s The Punisher to go ahead with the Paris Nuit Noire event and to participate in New York Comic-Con.”
The series follows the violent revenge story of Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal), whose family was murdered by mobsters. To exact revenge, Castle assembles a massive arsenal of high-power firearms and launches an all-out assault on his family’s killers.
The new series forms part of the Marvel properties at Netflix, which include, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and The Defenders.
The comic book character was created in 1974 and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man number 129. There have also been three movies based on the character, the first starring Dolph Lundgren in 1989.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston
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